China's Xian Aircraft plans to have the first flight of its MA600 turboprop next month and aims to have it on display at the Zhuhai airshow in November.
A Chinese official involved in Xian Aircraft's commercial turboprop programme says the aircraft will have its first flight sometime next month because the company plans to have the MA600 on display at the Zhuhai show in early November. The show runs from 4-9 November.
The official, who wishes to remain anonymous, was unable to give a specific date for first flight.
Xian Aircraft rolled out the first MA600 in late June and the official says the company was originally aiming for a first flight in September.
The MA600 is a derivative of the Xian Aircraft MA60 turboprop, a 50-60 seat aircraft. The newer type needs to gain Chinese certification because the manufacturer has made changes.
Its passenger door is towards the front whereas the MA60's is towards the rear and the MA600 door incorporates stairs rather than having the passenger stairs as a separate attachment.
Xian Aircraft's MA600 also has Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics system whereas the MA60 has an earlier system, Pro Line 2.
The Civil Aviation Flight University of China in Guanghan has ordered two MA600s but there are currently no other customers.
But the official ATI (flightglobal.com's sister premium news site) spoke to says Ying'an Airlines has ordered 10 MA60s and last month received the first and in November will get the second. Ying'an is an airline in southwest China's Yunnan province that has been operating Harbin Y12 turboprops.
Other recent MA60 orders include an order for three from Xingfu Airlines, says the official. This is a new feeder airline China Eastern Airlines is establishing in the western Chinese city of Xian in joint venture partnership with China Aviation Industry Corp I, parent of Xian Aircraft.
Philippine carrier Asian Spirit also told ATI in July that it had ordered five MA60s, all for delivery this year with the first two to come in September.
The Xian Aircraft official confirms Asian Spirit has ordered five MA60s, all for delivery this year, but says the first two will only be delivered in October.
These two aircraft are already painted in the airline's new livery and are parked at Xian Aircraft, adds the official.
Indonesia's Merpati Nusantara also has two MA60s and a spokesman for the carrier told ATI earlier this month that it wanted to receive the other 13 on order by February next year.
But the Xian Aircraft official says it is unlikely Merpati will receive any more MA60s this year. The official failed to elaborate on this but one issue Xian Aircraft has had with the Indonesian carrier in the past is it wants to ensure the airline has the finances and the Indonesian Government's backing before delivering aircraft.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
